Despite Trump, These Are The States Moving Away from Coal This Year

Of all fossil fuels used for energy production, coal is by far the dirtiest. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, coal creates nearly 50% more greenhouse gas emissions than natural gas. Inexpensive and widely available, coal-fired power plants account for approximately 35% of the world’s energy supply—but those same power plants generate 45% of global greenhouse gas emissions. 

Encouragingly, the U.S. along with many other major energy consumers, are moving away from coal in favor of natural gas and clean, renewable energy sources. Coal was the largest energy source in the United States from 1885 until 1950, when petroleum and natural gas gained wider use. In the 21st century alone, U.S. coal production has fallen by approximately 50%. 

Today, however, as the war in Iran has destabilized global energy supplies and driven up the price of natural gas, more countries are turning back to coal. Driven largely by major markets like China and India, coal demand is projected to increase 1.2% in 2026, reaching a new record high of 8.94 billion metric tons by year’s end. 

Even in this context, however, American energy suppliers continue to rely less and less on coal. Compared to the first six months of 2025, the amount of electricity derived from coal declined 11.3% nationwide in the first half of 2026. In some states, year-over-year changes were even more pronounced. 

Using data from the EIA, Climate Crisis 247 identified the states that are moving away from coal this year. We ranked all 50 states on the change in net electricity production from coal-fired power plants between the first half of 2025 and the first half of 2026. Only the 10 states reporting the largest relative decrease year-over-year are listed. All supplemental data in this story is also from the EIA. 

 10. South Dakota

• Change in net electricity production from coal fired plants, year-over-year: -35.5% (-338,000 megawatt hours)
• Net electricity production from coal fired plants, January-June 2026: 615,000 megawatt hours (5.3% of power grid)
• Net electricity production from coal fired plants, January-June 2025: 953,000 megawatt hours (8.4% of power grid)
• Average price of electricity in residential sector, January-June 2026: 14.3 cents per kilowatt hour
• Average price of electricity in residential sector, January-June 2025: 12.9 cents per kilowatt hour

 9. Michigan

• Change in net electricity production from coal fired plants, year-over-year: -37.8% (-5.8 million megawatt hours)
• Net electricity production from coal fired plants, January-June 2026: 9.5 million megawatt hours (16.3% of power grid)
• Net electricity production from coal fired plants, January-June 2025: 15.2 million megawatt hours (24.9% of power grid)
• Average price of electricity in residential sector, January-June 2026: 21.1 cents per kilowatt hour
• Average price of electricity in residential sector, January-June 2025: 19.6 cents per kilowatt hour

 8. Maine

• Change in net electricity production from coal fired plants, year-over-year: -41.9% (-7,000 megawatt hours)
• Net electricity production from coal fired plants, January-June 2026: 11,000 megawatt hours (0.1% of power grid)
• Net electricity production from coal fired plants, January-June 2025: 18,000 megawatt hours (0.2% of power grid)
• Average price of electricity in residential sector, January-June 2026: 29.7 cents per kilowatt hour
• Average price of electricity in residential sector, January-June 2025: 27.4 cents per kilowatt hour

 7. Oklahoma

• Change in net electricity production from coal fired plants, year-over-year: -48.6% (-2.0 million megawatt hours)
• Net electricity production from coal fired plants, January-June 2026: 2.1 million megawatt hours (4.7% of power grid)
• Net electricity production from coal fired plants, January-June 2025: 4.1 million megawatt hours (9.5% of power grid)
• Average price of electricity in residential sector, January-June 2026: 13.4 cents per kilowatt hour
• Average price of electricity in residential sector, January-June 2025: 12.4 cents per kilowatt hour

 6. Colorado

• Change in net electricity production from coal fired plants, year-over-year: -54.5% (-4.4 million megawatt hours)
• Net electricity production from coal fired plants, January-June 2026: 3.7 million megawatt hours (14.0% of power grid)
• Net electricity production from coal fired plants, January-June 2025: 8.1 million megawatt hours (28.8% of power grid)
• Average price of electricity in residential sector, January-June 2026: 16.7 cents per kilowatt hour
• Average price of electricity in residential sector, January-June 2025: 15.4 cents per kilowatt hour

 5. Nevada

• Change in net electricity production from coal fired plants, year-over-year: -61.8% (-735,000 megawatt hours)
• Net electricity production from coal fired plants, January-June 2026: 455,000 megawatt hours (2.1% of power grid)
• Net electricity production from coal fired plants, January-June 2025: 1.2 million megawatt hours (5.5% of power grid)
• Average price of electricity in residential sector, January-June 2026: 13.8 cents per kilowatt hour
• Average price of electricity in residential sector, January-June 2025: 13.4 cents per kilowatt hour

 4. California

• Change in net electricity production from coal fired plants, year-over-year: -88.2% (-103,000 megawatt hours)
• Net electricity production from coal fired plants, January-June 2026: 14,000 megawatt hours (0.0% of power grid)
• Net electricity production from coal fired plants, January-June 2025: 117,000 megawatt hours (0.1% of power grid)
• Average price of electricity in residential sector, January-June 2026: 33.2 cents per kilowatt hour
• Average price of electricity in residential sector, January-June 2025: 32.4 cents per kilowatt hour

 3. Washington

• Change in net electricity production from coal fired plants, year-over-year: -99.4% (-1.3 million megawatt hours)
• Net electricity production from coal fired plants, January-June 2026: 7,000 megawatt hours (0.0% of power grid)
• Net electricity production from coal fired plants, January-June 2025: 1.3 million megawatt hours (2.5% of power grid)
• Average price of electricity in residential sector, January-June 2026: 14.4 cents per kilowatt hour
• Average price of electricity in residential sector, January-June 2025: 12.6 cents per kilowatt hour

 2. New Hampshire

• Change in net electricity production from coal fired plants, year-over-year: -100% (-147,000 megawatt hours)
• Net electricity production from coal fired plants, January-June 2026: 0 megawatt hours (0% of power grid)
• Net electricity production from coal fired plants, January-June 2025: 147,000 megawatt hours (1.6% of power grid)
• Average price of electricity in residential sector, January-June 2026: 26.8 cents per kilowatt hour
• Average price of electricity in residential sector, January-June 2025: 23.4 cents per kilowatt hour

 1. Delaware

• Change in net electricity production from coal fired plants, year-over-year: -100% (-253,000 megawatt hours)
• Net electricity production from coal fired plants, January-June 2026: 0 megawatt hours (0% of power grid)
• Net electricity production from coal fired plants, January-June 2025: 253,000 megawatt hours (11.8% of power grid)
• Average price of electricity in residential sector, January-June 2026: 17.7 cents per kilowatt hour
• Average price of electricity in residential sector, January-June 2025: 16.8 cents per kilowatt hour